St Bede's Catholic College Newsletter - Edition 13 - 29 August 2025

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE – JOHN MURPHY

 PRAYER

All-Powerful God,
you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace,
that we may live as sisters and brothers in perfect harmony.
Teach us to discover the dignity of each thing,
to recognise that we are profoundly united
with all of creation as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us as we strive for justice, love and peace.
Amen.

St Bede…… Pray for us.

STUDENT SUCCESS
As per our social media posts and in our newsletters, our students are thriving this year not only in their learning but also in the full range of co-curricular activities. Our students are constantly demonstrating their talents, enthusiasm, resilience, and pride in the College by giving their best in a diverse range of co-curricular activities, including in sport, creative and performing arts, university extension activities for gifted students, and social justice actions

One example of this is our boys’ soccer team making the semi-final of the Bill Turner Cup. The Bill Turner Cup is a school football competition featuring around 850 teams from NSW, Queensland, the ACT, and Victoria, with all players aged 15 and under. Making the final four from over 850 teams is a remarkable achievement. We are so proud of our boys and the staff involved and we wish them all the best in their upcoming semi-final match against Maribyrnong College at 3:00pm on Tuesday the 9 September at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility. Depending on the result, we will either play at 11:30am on Wednesday the 10 September for 3rd place, or at 3:00pm in the grand final. We will be playing Palm Beach Currumbin or Moriah College. Please refer to the sport section of this newsletter for more details of their two wins last week at Coffs Harbour.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Thank you to those parents/carers who attended our Term 3 Family & Community Engagement (FACE) Forum last Wednesday
20 August in the College Library. These optional forums are an important avenue of parent engagement. Included in the one
hour meeting was a presentation from myself on my two recent overseas pilgrimages. Please see below a summary of the meeting. You are warmly invited to attend our last meeting of the year on Wednesday 12 November.

INVITATION TO ATTEND BEFORE SCHOOL MASS
A warm invitation is extended to all members of our school and local community to attend Mass in our beautiful Mary, Mother of Hope Oratory, located between our school and St Aloysius Catholic Primary School, at 8:00am on the third Wednesday of each month during the school term. As a guide these Masses are shorter than weekend Masses and ordinarily finish before 8:30am. We are blessed to have Father Priyantha Fernando as our Priest Chaplain who celebrates these Masses. Our next Mass will be 8.00am on Wednesday 17 September. Everyone, including parishioners, parents/carers, grandparents, residents, students etc, are welcome to attend.

HSC STUDENTS
Good luck to our Year 12 Students who have less than four weeks before they graduate. I commend our Year 12 Students on their commitment demonstrated during the Trial HSC Exams and how they are responding to the feedback from their teachers on areas of required improvement before the HSC exams. Our diligent teachers will be offering extensive support after their graduation in assisting students in their final preparation for the HSC exams. I encourage students to accept these offers of support and to remain focused on allocating the required amount of time and preparation required for them to perform to their potential.

UPCOMING EVENTS 2025

Assistant Principal Report – Amber Carter and Lauren McCafferty

Thriving With Knowledge
Our Vision and Mission focus for Term 3 is Thrive with Knowledge where, as a learning community, all students and staff are challenged to ignite passion for knowledge and truth; empower lifelong learning and global citizenship; and nurture a collaborative and creative environment. In today’s world of rapid disruption and constant change, thriving with knowledge as the foundation for human flourishing is vitally important.

For our students, beyond simply acquiring facts, they must learn to interpret, apply, and adapt what they know to meet challenges with confidence. With technological innovation, shifting job markets, and evolving societal needs, knowledge provides stability in uncertainty, therefore thriving with knowledge becomes both compass and toolkit. Thriving with knowledge means more than academic achievement; it is about cultivating curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking. Students who see learning as a lifelong pursuit are better equipped to embrace change rather than fear it. Thriving with knowledge leads us to innovate, problem-solve, and contribute positively in environments that demand flexibility.

As educators we strive to foster this mindset in our students by creating learning spaces that encourage inquiry, adaptability, and collaboration. When knowledge is framed as dynamic and empowering, not static or transactional, students discover the confidence to navigate complexity and drive meaningful progress. Significantly, in times of uncertainty, knowledge is not just power, it is possibility. By empowering students to thrive with knowledge, the St Bede’s mission and vision is realised as our students become a generation of change shapers and future makers that will not only adapt to disruption but also lead with insight, imagination, and purpose.

Year 9 2026 Elective Information Evening
It was wonderful to see our Year 8 students and families at the Year 9 2026 Elective Information evening this week. Listening to students talk about what electives were igniting their passion for learning and what was of interest to them was energising. This is students’ first opportunity to have advocacy over what they are learning and the important message for students was to select electives that they are interested in and enjoy. Thanks are extended to the students and families that attended, along with Mr. Jones, our Leader of Learning Curriculum, and the Leaders of Learning and staff that were preprepared for and were present for the evening.

Year 11 Examinations
Year 11 are preparing for the examination period during Week 8 and Week 9 of this term. These examinations represent the conclusion of the preliminary courses with the commencement of the HSC at the beginning of Term 4. Students have been engaging in Study Sprints which is a weekly session designed to provide students with information on how to prepare for examinations, supports available to them and where to go for assistance. Students are also encouraged to continue to access the study afternoons on Tuesday and Thursday from 3:15pm to 5pm.

Student Uniform & Grooming
At St Bede’s we have a high standard of grooming and uniform which instils a sense school pride and promotes a standard of excellence. We appreciate the support of our families in reinforcing the standard of grooming and uniform from home to school. Students are reminded that boys must be clean shaven, girls must have an appropriate length skirt and shorts, and false nails and lashes are not permitted.  The Uniform and Grooming Policy is located on the School Documentation section of Compass for reference. 

Catholic Formation and Mission – Andrew Slater

Vinnies Winter Sleepout
On Friday 22 August, a group of Year 12 students and staff participated in the Vinnies Winter Sleepout. This is an annual event, the purpose of which is twofold: firstly, to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul Society so that they can provide support to people experiencing homelessness; secondly, to allow people to stand in solidarity with those experiencing homelessness, so that they can have a greater understanding of what it is like. The event was organised by Year 12 leaders Bella Avis and Caitlin Woodyatt, who also prepared an informative presentation about the work of Vinnies and the causes and impacts of homelessness. Thankyou to all those students who participated and those who generously donated to the appeal.

Mass for Year 12 Students and their Families
A Mass will be celebrated for the intentions of all Year 12 students in schools within the Chisholm Region (St Bede’s Catholic College, All Saints’ College and St Joseph’s College). All members of our College community are invited to attend.

Where: St Joseph’s Catholic Church, East Maitland
When: 6:00pm Sunday 14 September

Light Our Way Year 12 Novena
The Light Our Way Year 12 Novena will occur during Week 9 of this term. Our Year 12 families are invited to attend on Thursday 18 September (please note the change of date) at 8:25am in the Mary, Mother of Hope Oratory. Further information about this event will be sent to Year 12 families via Compass.

Mass Celebrating Diverse Learning
The 26th annual Mass Celebrating Diverse Learning will be held 5:00pm on Wednesday 3 September at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Everyone is welcome to attend. No RSVP is necessary. More information is contained in the flyer below.

Perpetual Day of Remembrance
Bishop Michael had decreed that, after a period of review, the Perpetual Day of Remembrance will now be fixed to the same date as Child Protection Sunday. This year, the unified day of reflection will occur on Sunday 14 September. For further details, please see Bishop Michael’s letter below.

LEARNING DOMAIN

Year 7 Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement – Amber Pyne and Abby O’Connor
What a term! We continue to be impressed by the way Year 7 has applied themselves to high school and, just as importantly, how they lift one another up. A standout example of this was our recent leadership process, where students genuinely celebrated each other’s efforts and successes, such a credit to their character and our community.

Learning Highlights

Horrible Histories (HSIE):
Term 3 saw the launch of our Horrible Histories assessment. Classrooms transformed as students donned costumes, yes, even Egyptian mummies made an appearance, while planning storyboards, filming, and editing. The creativity, teamwork, and production skills on display have been impressive!

CSI Chisholm (Maths & Science):
We also launched CSI Chisholm, a cross-curricular investigation that had students collaborating to solve a “serious crime” using data, clues, and scientific reasoning. From analysing evidence to applying mathematical problem-solving, students showed real grit and curiosity.

Staying Organised
Year 7 Term Calendar:
Released at the beginning of each term, please keep it handy for key dates and upcoming assessments.

Weekly Organisation Post (Teams):
This is distributed every Sunday afternoon. Students are asked to read it carefully and use it to plan the week ahead (equipment, deadlines, uniforms, and upcoming events). Building this routine helps develop great habits and accountability.

LoWE Awards
We have also continued recognising students through our Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement Award. These awards celebrate those who consistently uplift others, contribute positively to our community, and show kindness and leadership in their daily interactions. It is always encouraging to see so many Year 7 students receiving this recognition.

Thank you to our students for their positivity and hard work, and to families for your continued partnership. Term 3 has been busy, energising, and full of growth, we’re excited for what’s next!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns relating to your child’s wellbeing, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself on amber.pyne@mn.catholic.edu.au (Monday–Thursday) or Abby O’Connor (Friday) abby.oconnor1@mn.catholic.edu.au

2025 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge – Bronwyn McKinnon

The finish line for the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is fast approaching as the deadline closes to students in 4 weeks! We hope students have enjoyed exploring new and exciting books throughout the year. We are so proud of their efforts – 33 students have so far collectively read over 420 books! But there is still time to squeeze in a few more great reads! 

Don’t forget to log every book read so far.  Every title counts and every page brings you closer to completing the challenge. All student reading records must be completed by 11:59pm on Friday 19 September 2025 (Week 9) so that validation can occur. Only students who have a completed and validated reading record will receive a PRC certificate.    

If there are any issues with logging books, please speak to Mrs. McKinnon in the Learning Hub before Friday 5 September 2025.  

Let’s finish strong – keep turning those pages and booking your adventure!    

Gifted Education – Kim Dickson
World Scholar's Cup Regional Round
On 7 and 8 August, seven of our talented students proudly represented our school at the World Scholar’s Cup Regional Round held at St Philip’s, Cessnock. Competing against schools from across the region, our students showcased their knowledge, teamwork, and creativity across a range of challenging events.

We are delighted to share their outstanding achievements:

• Champion Senior Team
• Champion Scholar’s Bowl Team
• Champion Writing Team
• Numerous individual and team medals across all areas of the competition, recognising excellence in debating, collaborative writing, and the Scholar’s Challenge.

This was not only a celebration of academic excellence but also of collaboration, confidence, and critical thinking. Our students displayed perseverance and enthusiasm throughout the two-day event, embodying our school values at every step.

Congratulations to this exceptional group of students on their incredible success – we are so proud of the way you represented our school on such a prestigious stage!

BLOG: Seeing the World Like Leonardo, Einstein, and Aristotle – Three Ways to Nurture Genius Thinking in Your Child

We’ve released a new blog for families of high potential and gifted children:

Seeing the World Like Leonardo, Einstein, and Aristotle – Three Ways to Nurture Genius Thinking in Your Child

It highlights three ways children view the world - connecting ideas like Leonardo, imagining possibilities like Einstein, and seeking patterns and purpose like Aristotle - and offers practical tips for families to support these strengths.

Digital Innovation and Leaning - Sandra Hampshire
 
2026 Device Ordering Process
The Portal for ordering the Year 7 & Year 10 2026 devices is anticipated to be open on Monday 1 September 2025. 

Device Selection Update
As with previous years, Next Technologies have created an easy and safe parent portal for students. The portal is provided and managed by Next Technologies Pty Ltd. Families in these year groups will be emailed with the access link and an information flyer about the selected device for their student. We will also attach this flyer information in a future newsletter. 

In previous newsletter articles this year, we have mentioned delays in availability of device samples. Typically, the selection process involves student feedback on the device options. Due to these delays, we have had to adopt an alternative approach this year. In 2025 the panel selected an ASUS device for the Year 7 cohort. We have found this device to be an excellent, reliable choice and are continuing with this selection for the Year 10 2026 cohort.  

Pricing Guidance 

After feedback from students and families, we have decided that the baseline for both Year 7 and Year 10 devices for 2026 will have 16GB RAM as opposed to the typical 8GB. This will assist with functionality, speed and performance of the device within the classroom.  

The pricing guide for the Year 7 2026 device is $1091 including 3 years onsite accidental damage repair.  

The pricing guide for the Year 10 2026 device is $1346 including 3 years onsite accidental damage repair. 

One of the main benefits of going with the ASUS device is that the accidental damage protection insurance is embedded in the price, meaning that there will be a $0 excess for repairs (including screen repairs).  

If you have any questions regarding the devices or the programs, please contact Sandra Hampshire via email at sandra.hampshire@mn.catholic.edu.au    

Sport – Belinda Watts

Bill Turner Cup  - BOYS
Northern NSW Champions!!!!
A massive congratulations to our Boys Bill Turner Squad who have just won the Northern NSW Finals in Coffs Harbour and progressed to the semi-finals of The Bill Turner Cup for the first time in the College's history.

St Bede’s played John Paul College, Coffs Harbour in the Round of 16 match on Tuesday. St Bede’s started the match with energy and desire that couldn’t be matched from John Paul. 5 minutes into the match a save from John Paul’s keeper fell to the feet of Nate Sainty who placed the ball in the top corner from 30 yards out, 1-0 St Bede’s. The energy from St Bede’s didn’t slow down and as the 15 minute mark hit, captain Oliver Skelton delivered an inch perfect cross to top scorer Lachie Winkleman who headed the ball into the back of the net. 2-0 St Bede’s and this would be the score at full time as the lads played game management and controlled the remainder of the game.

This win put us into the Quarter Final against powerhouse Lambton High School. A Newcastle derby with plenty on the line. An unchanged starting 11 was sent out to battle and the boys were more ready than ever. Lambton started the match strong and St Bede’s had to weather the storm, but as they have all tournament, they defended strong and weren’t going to let anyone score easily. At the 10 minute mark a through ball found the feet of Lachie Winkleman, who got away from his man and placed the ball into the back of the net, 1-0 St Bede’s and one foot into the Bill Turner Cup Final.

Lambton continued to fight, and Nicholas Hair pulled out a top corner free kick save to keep the elusive clean sheet. St Bede’s saw out the half 1-0. As the second half started, Lambton looked like a team ready to bring the game level and a fantastic strike from them found the top corner, 1-1 St Bede’s. The game would finish at 1-1 and go to extra time where both teams couldn’t be separated. Off to penalties we go, 2-2 in penalties thanks to Oliver Skelton and Lachie Winkleman. As Lambton stepped up for their 3^rd penalty, Nicholas Hair had other plans and made a fantastic save. Payton Wheeler and Jack Williams both converted their penalties leaving the score at 4-4, with Nicholas Hair to step up and score the match winning penalty, and true to his reliable self, made no mistake and found the back of the net. 5-4 and St Bede’s are through to the semi-finals of the Bill Turner Cup!!!! Absolute scenes in the corner as the boys celebrated what is a remarkable achievement.
 
Congratulations lads, we are all so proud of you. We now play Maribyrnong College on the 9 September at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility as we look to continue our cup run and play in the final on the 10 September. More details on the match to come! Enjoy it lads!

Diocesan Athletics Carnival 2025
On Wednesday 20 August, over 60 St Bede’s students proudly represented our school at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival in Glendale. Each student should be commended for their effort, sportsmanship and school spirit throughout the day, with many outstanding performances showcasing the talent and determination of our athletes. We are especially proud to congratulate the following students who have been selected in the Diocesan Team to compete at the NSWCCC Athletics Championships at Sydney Olympic Park on Monday 15 September. We wish them every success as they represent both St Bede’s and the Diocese on this exciting stage!

The following students were named Diocesan Age Champions: 

• Rose Punton (12 Girls) 
• Finnian Brownlee (13 Boys)
• Lily Sutton (16 Boys)
• Shelby Griffis (14 Girls Runner up)  
• Caleb Hyslop (Multi Class) 
• Isabelle Winsor O’Keefe (Multi Class) 

SERVICE & GOVERNANCE DOMAIN

School Fees – Kylie Murray

2025 School Fee Information

Concessions on Tuition Fees are given to account holders with a current Health Care/Pension card. Please complete link below and attach a copy of your current card.

Annual Fee Payments
A reminder that if you nominated to finalise your account annually with one payment, this was due on 30 June 2025 and is now considered overdue, please bring your account up to date. Finance will be contacting these debtors directly.

Ongoing Fee Payments
Fees were billed in March and ongoing payment arrangements have been established for those paying weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments. As per your condition of enrolment these ongoing fees are to ensure your account is fully paid by 30 November 2025.

Account Statements
Updated statements are emailed at the beginning of each month and you can also view a live balance anytime in Compass. If you are not receiving your monthly statements, please contact Finance asap.

Support
The Catholic Schools Office declares that genuine inability to meet tuition and other fees does not exclude access to a school within the system by a child of a family genuinely committed to Catholic faith and practice.

For families experiencing genuine Financial Hardship or wishing to discuss other payment arrangements please email finance@chisholmsb.catholic.edu.au to arrange a confidential meeting.

Contact
If you require additional assistance in calculating your preferred instalment, please contact Finance. Alternatively, there is a breakdown tool available in the bottom right-hand corner of your statement to show weekly, fortnightly and monthly figures to conclude by the end of November.

If you require any assistance, please contact Finance
finance@chisholmsb.catholic.edu.au

Other News

Year 12 2023 – 2024 ALUMNI

School Vaccinations

It’s not too late—consent can still be completed for students in Year 7 or Year 10.

Parents can provide consent by following this link:

Or by following this QR code

School Student Travel 2025

School student travel information for parents and students
Applications are now open for 2025 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS)

Terms of Use
Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off  in line with the Opal terms of use.

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.

Williamson International – Uniform Queries
All uniform queries are to be directed to Williamson International.

Williamson International Contact Details:
Phone: 1800 815 571
Email: greg@williamson.com.au